Rotex RO 150 E - No Dust Extraction?

[onocoffee]

About a month or so ago, I picked up a used RO 150 E (the one with the green Rotex switch on the side above the sanding pad) and I finally got to try using it today. As expected, it's an aggressive sander but is spewing dust everywhere. I thought that was odd so I pulled the abrasive off, turned on the vac and put my hand by the pad - I could sense no suction.

Could there be a blockage along the extraction pathway? Or does the sander have an internal blower? What should I check on this sander? Thanks!

 

[bobtskutter]

My RO125 has a "seal" between the pad and the casing. Is yours missing?

Bob

 

[Hipplewm]

About a month or so ago, I picked up a used RO 150 E (the one with the green Rotex switch on the side above the sanding pad) and I finally got to try using it today. As expected, it's an aggressive sander but is spewing dust everywhere. I thought that was odd so I pulled the abrasive off, turned on the vac and put my hand by the pad - I could sense no suction.

Could there be a blockage along the extraction pathway? Or does the sander have an internal blower? What should I check on this sander? Thanks!

The part with the hose attachment comes off and you can check for blockage. there is a little toggle by the back of the handle to press and it comes apart

 

[jeffinsgf]

Sounds like someone sanded without extraction. Or...with poor extraction.

 

[rvieceli]

@onocoffee obvious things first, is there suction at the hose end? I had one where I thought the problem was in the tool but the hose was clogged

If you have access to a compressor, try blowing air through the hose end and the pad end of the tool. If it was used to sand something wet may have caked up material stuck in there somewhere.

Ron

 

[jeffinsgf]

The part with the hose attachment comes off and you can check for blockage. there is a little toggle by the back of the handle to press and it comes apart

Interesting. I just looked at the manuals on the Festool site and the RO-125 doesn't have this feature. I didn't remember it on mine, but I haven't used it for while.

 

[Distinctive Interiors]

The part with the hose attachment comes off and you can check for blockage. there is a little toggle by the back of the handle to press and it comes apart

The hose attachment on my 2002 Rotex 150 E is an oval shape and is a permanent part of the sander body and cannot be removed.....

 

[Jim_in_PA]

The hose attachment on my 2002 Rotex 150 E is an oval shape and is a permanent part of the sander body and cannot be removed.....

Same although I 3D printed an adapter to work better with current generation hoses.

OP, I also suspect a serious clog, probably because a previous owner didn't use extraction religiously.

 

[Hipplewm]

Interesting. I just looked at the manuals on the Festool site and the RO-125 doesn't have this feature. I didn't remember it on mine, but I haven't used it for while.

afaik, 125 doesn't have it, only 150

 

[Hipplewm]

The hose attachment on my 2002 Rotex 150 E is an oval shape and is a permanent part of the sander body and cannot be removed.....

ahh, OK - I am not a festool historian, I know mine comes off - so maybe some of the older ones it is permanent like the 125's

 

[Distinctive Interiors]

ahh, OK - I am not a festool historian, I know mine comes off - so maybe some of the older ones it is permanent like the 125's

Do you have the Rotex 150 E model...?
As far as I know, all the 150 E models had the oval dust port...?

 

[Hipplewm]

Do you have the Rotex 150 E model...?
As far as I know, all the 150 E models had the oval dust port...?

I have a FEQ version i think - within the last 2 years

Piece 51 is what I am talking about

 

[onocoffee]

Thank you all for your thoughts.

@rvieceli I did check the suction on from the hose at the time. It was pulling strongly but was non-existent at the pad. Strange, which is why I also thought it might be blockage but did not want to start tearing into it without knowing what to look for.

@Hipplewm You’re right about the extraction tube.
That is something that is on the RO150 FEQ and is readily removed. However the RO 150 E is an older design where the “tube” is built into the body of the Rotex.

I thought I would take some pics for this thread and got to looking at it and have found the issue. Checked the tube with a light and all looks clear. Put the MIDI hose on it at full and you could hear it pulling. Just not at the pad. Unbolted the pad (it’s the same as the ETS EC 150) and the suction pulled well through the body ports.

Put it back together, connected the hose and turned it on again. I could hear the suction pulling strongly and could hear it coming from the vicinity of the pad. But no suction at the pad.

I’m guessing there’s supposed to be some sort of boot surrounding the pad?

It’s sucking. Very well. But only as a halo around the pad!

It still sands like a beast though.

 

[onocoffee]

Looking through EKAT, it looks like the missing part is no longer available. Might anyone know of any dealer that has this part lying around? EKAT USA has deleted the part number. I was thinking about ordering the FEQ part that seems to be similar. Probably will not work but it looks like it's $8.50 so it might be worth trying out.

Then there's the collar from the ETS 150, leaving me to wonder if the 150 pad works on the RO150E then perhaps this one might work too?

Any thoughts?

 

[Distinctive Interiors]

I have to say, the profile of the velcro pad that is fitted to your 150 E doesn't look like the pads that I've got for my 150 E from memory....?
The gap between the body of the sander and the underside of the pad on yours, looks much bigger than on mine.
I'm going to my workshop this morning, so will take a more detailed look at mine and take a couple of pictures.

Maybe, yours is indeed missing the rubber seal that fills that void?

I have the original " Soft" pad and a much newer "Hard" pad, that I was led to believe are specific to the 150 E model.

 

[Distinctive Interiors]

Here are a couple of pictures of mine.....









Looking at your picture 5 in your post #13 above, I'm wondering if someone has replaced the black seal at some point,.....and fitted it incorrectly...?
It appears to be there on yours, but on mine, it is a snug fit in the rebate between the steel plate that is held in position by the 6 screws ( 5 screws on yours, as it looks as though one is missing...) and the back of the sanding pad.....It is not held in position by the metal plate at all.....It just pops out when pulled.

Edit......Comparing my photos with yours, it appears as though your metal plate may well have been fitted upside down as well....!!!???
The heads of the screws on mine protrude above the plate, not recessed in.

Try removing the metal plate and turn it up the other way as per mine and reassemble with the black seal as shown in my pictures....
Hopefully, the seal will still fit if it hasn't been damaged or is now mis-shapened.....

I dont think it would matter, but the age of mine is a 2002 model, owned from new, so I know it hasn't been apart other than new brushes about 4 years ago....

Tim.

 

[Distinctive Interiors]

@onocoffee
Did you get an opportunity to take your RO 150 E apart over the weekend.....?

Tim.

 

[bobtskutter]

Design and 3d print a replacement using tpu filament.
Bob